THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ILLINOIS GIS ASSOCIATION
10 questions for Dan Wilcox, Illinois
GIS Coordinator
By Mark Toalson, Assistant IT Director for GIS, City of Champaign
When did you become the first GIS Coordinator for the State of
Illinois?
On April 2, 2009 Greg Wass, State CIO, announced that he was naming me State
GIS Coordinator.
Could you tell us briefly of your professional history with the State of
Illinois?
I began my career with the State of Illinois in 1985 working for the Department of
Agriculture. In 1996 I took the position of Computer Services Bureau Chief with
Agriculture and my indoctrination to GIS was almost immediate. Relatively speaking,
Agriculture was a small agency with big GIS needs and the responsibility to support
GIS fell on me. As GIS technologies evolved towards central geodatabases and
server based platforms, I was in the advantageous position of overseeing both
information technology and GIS. When the opportunity presented itself this past
February (2009) to take a position with IDOT managing application development
staff and GIS professionals – I jumped at the chance. One of my core beliefs is that
GIS and Information Technology belong together as both exist to provide services
to the organization.
What State department do you work within? – and do you foresee
your position remaining in that department or some time?
My current position is Chief Development Officer with the Illinois Department of
Transportation. Generally speaking, I would estimate that 50% of my time is spent
on GIS Coordinator duties with the remaining 50% focused on IDOT issues. I
do not foresee any changes that would move the GIS Coordinator position into a
different agency.
What do you see as the primary mission of your position?
The primary mission for the State GIS Coordinator is to promote and facilitate
geospatial technologies, resources and coordination for the benefit of State
government.
August 2009
In This Issue
10 questions for Dan Wilcox 1
Cogitations
2
GIS Educator’s Corner
3
2009 ILGISA Outstanding
Student Awards
4
Establishing Relationships
Between the GIS Community
and Higher Education
5
Did you notice all the Volunteer
Students at the Spring
Conference?
6
Mission Statement: To promote
the benefits of membership,
enhance the visibility of
ILGISA and connect the GIS
communities in Illinois.
7
Proposal for Publication of
Extended Abstracts and
PowerPoint Presentations
7
Details of an NSF Grant
Concerning Geospatial
Education
8
DuPage County, Illinois 2009
NSDI GIS Data and Standards9
The Founding of ILGISA
10
Does your work involve inter-agency coordination? – and if yes,
do you work with a standing committee representing multiple state
agencies?
Annual Fall Conference of the
Illinois Geographic Information
Systems Association
12
A significant portion of my work as GIS Coordinator will involve inter-agency
coordination. Illinois State government has a tremendous community of GIS
resources and data scattered throughout several agencies. And there are other
state government lines-of-business, like human services, that are just beginning
to tap the vast potential of geospatial technologies. Inter-agency coordination is
important now, more than ever, for state government to effectively leverage the
power of GIS. I plan to assemble a GIS Technical Advisory Group which will include
both GIS and information technology leaders from multiple state agencies. There
are several geospatial issues that need attention at the state level so subcommittees
will be formed to address various subject areas.
New GISP’s
13
ILGISA’s New Members
13
New Student Members
16
(Continued on page 6)
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
Cogitations
from your President
Pat Keegan
Recent survey results have
indicated that ILGISA
members place a high value
on networking.
M
any members have indicated that
ILGISA is a social group and that
the spring and fall conferences serve
an important function of bringing us
together. Certainly our membership
is on the leading edge of technology
and I am confident a large part of
our memberships utilizes Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn and some other
cool social networking tools that I
don’t even know about yet. When
appropriate, ILGISA will embrace these
new social networking opportunities.
As a member, you will soon be invited
to ILGISA’s LinkedIn group. This will
provide another method for people to
connect and for members to showcase
their ILGISA membership. LinkedIn is
a professional networking website and
a quick search for people referencing
“ILGISA” on their profile returns over 50
people. The ILGISA Board interprets
this as proof that our membership
wants ILGISA to have a presence on
LinkedIn.
Even though we may embrace online social networking, there is no
replacement for in-person social
networking. The ILGISA conferences
have become the “can’t miss” networking
opportunity for GIS professions in our
state. The spring 2009 conference was
held in a new location, the I Hotel in
Champaign. The Board received over
60 pages of survey results from Spring
Conference attendees that we use to
evaluate the conference and to make
decisions about future conferences.
What did you, the attendees, think
about the Spring Conference?
2
What were the top themes that arose in
the survey results?
• Facilities were top-notch
• Food was excellent
• Too many competing sessions at the
same time
• Rooms changed, hard to find the
right room
• Need more hands-on opportunities
• Too expensive for some
Was the exhibit hall important to
attendees and why? Overwhelmingly, it
is very important to attendees.
• It is the best GIS networking
opportunity around.
• To see new products, advances in
technology
• Build contacts for the future
• Over 90% of respondents visited the
exhibitor hall
• 100% said the exhibitor hall is an
integral part of the conference
What
was
missing
from
the
conference?
• More opportunity and time to
network
• A posting wall, for jobs, resumes and
notices
• Hands-on activities - 43% of
respondents said the preferred
method of learning is hands-on
• Bring back the silent auction to benefit
a good cause
How important is the keynote in your
decision to attend? 54% indicated
that it is not a factor when deciding to
attend.
What did you think about the conference
logistics?
• Love, love, love the free Wi-Fi
• Great location, accessible and easy
• Great food
• Too much switching of rooms
What did you think about the conference
Cost?
• Costs for students have gone up too
much
• 64% of respondents said student
costs are too high
• 51% of respondents said nonmember costs are too high
• Drinks were too expensive during
open reception
Overall, the facility received the highest
praises and the conference cost
received the most criticism.
So, what will change based on the
feedback?
You will see changes in the fall
conference. For the first time in recent
memory, we will not have a traditional
keynote speaker. Instead we will have
smaller plenary sessions that will aim
to be more conducive to networking.
We will have free Wi-Fi! We are proud
to announce the rates for students will
be reduced. We have moved to a new
location that will be less expensive than
last fall’s facility and the cost of a hotel
room will be significantly less than last
year.
Special thanks to the 2009 Spring
Conference Committee on a successful
conference and to the 2009 Fall
Conference
Planning
Committee
for their hard work and dedication
towards making the fall conference a
success. It is important to remember
that our committees and the Board are
volunteers. Please support them and
consider volunteering your time to an
ILGISA committee.
I look forward to seeing you at the Fall
ILGISA Conference on October 5th and
6th at the NIU Naperville campus. As
always, thanks for your input!
Pat Keegan is the President of ILGISA
and the GIS Manager for the City of
Evanston
[email protected]
WWW.ILGISA.ORG
GIS Educator’s Corner
Welcome to the first
installment of the GIS
Educator’s Corner.
RICH SCHULTZ, Ph.D.,
C.P.G.
A
s you may be aware, ILGISA has recently embarked
on a mission to provide connections between the
GIS community and the next generation of the geospatial
workforce, namely those completing their degrees at
institutions of higher education. To that end, ILGISA will be
offering increasing opportunities for the GIS community to
interact with students and consider possible relationships
via job shadowing opportunities, internships, and potentially
future employment with your organization. We, as members
of the ILGISA Board of Directors feel this is a “win-win” for
your organization and the student population as well as
creating a means of sustaining the geospatial infrastructure
for the future.
g
rs
1 5 Y eaan d C o u n t i n
As a springboard for helping this to come to fruition, ILGISA is
increasingly making the student population aware of the GIS
community and encourages student participation in ILGISA
activities including conference attendance, job/internship
and resume posting on the ILGISA website, the newly
established ILGISA Scholarship Fund, student chapters of
ILGISA, and Student Paper and Poster Competitions at both
Fall and Spring ILGISA Conferences. The ILGISA Education
Committee is comprised of nine ILGISA members who have
dedicated their efforts towards creating the aforementioned
connections and making the future one of sustainability in
the GIS community.
In the near future, the following opportunities are planned for
GIS practitioner and student interaction: a “Careers in GIS”
panel discussion at the Fall Conference in October, a Student
Paper and separate Student Poster Competition at the Fall
Conference, several workshops geared towards students
and those new to the GIS community at that conference,
and the potential for published articles in future issues of
GIS Notes.
As Chair of the ILGISA Education Committee and a current
ILGISA Board Member, I invite you and your organization to
take advantage of the possible interactions with students and
help us, as a professional GIS organization, to strengthen
the future workforce in the GIS community. If I or any of the
ILGISA Board members can do anything to promote this
connection, or if you have further suggestions to promote
the cross fertilization of these groups, please contact me or
any ILGISA Board member.
See you at the Fall Conference on October 5 and 6 in
Naperville, Illinois!
Dr. Rich Schultz
Chair, Education Committee
3
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
2009 ILGISA Oustanding Student Awards
Recipients of 2009 ILGISA Outstanding Student Award as the Spring ILGISA Conference in Champaign were Jennifer
Outcalt and Brian Firek.
This award may be presented to an undergraduate student of any major who has included GIS in their course of
study. Individuals are nominated based on their demonstration of exemplary proficiency and understanding
of GIS, potential contribution to the GIS Community, and general scholastic achievement. The nominations
submitted for Jennifer and Brian are shown below. Congratulations, Brian and Jennifer!
Brian Firek, Elmhurst College
B
rian Firek is known to be extremely trustworthy, ethical, diligent as
a worker, and able to take direction well. Academically, Brian has a
perfect 4.0 GPA and is in the top 1% of all geography majors in terms of
academic achievements within the last five (5) years. He has the uncanny
ability to learn new spatial technologies and apply what he has learned to
“real world” scenarios. Brian comes to Elmhurst College from Roosevelt
University and has flourished as a physical geography major and GIS
minor. He has taken it upon himself to seek out four (4) recent job
shadowing experiences in the GIS community, including cities, counties,
private firms, and government institutions. His initiative will, without a
doubt, pay future dividends as he will become a future contributor to the
community of GIS workers.
Brian’s interest and proficiency with geospatial technology, strong
academic performance, and ability to learn quickly, coupled with his
work ethic make him a fine candidate for a graduate school of his choice
come Fall of 2010 after he graduates in Spring 2010, if he so desires. His
long term objectives are intentionally left open for now, but his ability to
successfully write code and program as well as apply spatial models may
lead to a position in local, state, or federal government.
He has most recently interviewed for a Summer 2009 internship with
a major utility firm and will complete most of his required geography
coursework at Elmhurst College well in advance of his graduation date.
Brian is a student member and has presented his research in a poster at the
Fall 2008 ILGISA Conference. He is also an officer in the Elmhurst College
Geographical Society and has assisted in resurrecting that organization
from a period of recent inactivity. He also serves as the Elmhurst College
Department of Geography and Geosciences computer lab assistant and
teaching assistant. All of this while maintaining a 4.0 grade point average
in all of his coursework including his major area of study is quite the
accomplishment.
Brian is highly recommended for the ILGISA Outstanding Student
Award based on his performance in his coursework, contributions to the
Brian Firek Named Outstanding GIS Student in Illinois for 2009
community, research in GIS, and service to the field of geography. He will
be a future star to watch in
the GIS community.
Brian Firek (center), junior geography
major and GIS minor at Elmhurst
College, is pictured with incoming
Illinois GIS Association (ILGISA)
President Curt Aber (left) and Dr.
Rich Schultz, ILGISA Board member
and Brian’s academic advisor at
Elmhurst College.
4
Brian Firek (center), junior geography major and GIS minor at Elmhurst College, is pictured with
incoming Illinois GIS Association (ILGISA) President Curt Aber (left) and Dr. Rich Schultz, ILGISA Board
member and Brian’s academic advisor at Elmhurst College. Firek was named the Outstanding GIS
Jennifer Outcalt, Northern
Illinois University
J
ennifer is one of those rare
students who not only excels
in the classroom, but embraces
every opportunity to learn and
participate in the activities
of the university. As a nontraditional commuting student,
she has achieved a 3.4 overall
GPA, and 3.67 in the major. She
has served on the department’s
student nominating committee,
and was a member of the
2008/09 soil judging team
that took 3rd place in regional
competition. She is currently
completing a BS in geography
along with a Certificate in GIS.
Jennifer’s independent mapping
project
utilizes
information
on state collected duck stamp
revenue and shows states’
contributions to the National
Wildlife Refuge System.
Based on her success in the
classroom, keen interest in GIS
and mapping, and voluntary
service to the department and
university, we are confident
that Jennifer will be an able
and eager contributor to the
mapping and GIS community of
Illinois.
WWW.ILGISA.ORG
Establishing Relationships Between the GIS Community
and Higher Education
I
s your organization looking for
student interns for projects or for
longer term experiences? Or are you
a student seeking a GIS internship to
gain valuable experience working for
a professional organization? If either
of these fits you or your organization,
ILGISA has the answer for you.
Recently, the ILGISA Education
Committee established as one of its
numerous initiatives:
The establishment of a permanent
discussion forum/posting on the ILGISA
website for the purpose of making
college/university students aware of
opportunities, separated by type:
• Internships
• Educational opportunities and
professional development
(lectures, workshops, short
courses)
• Job shadowing activities
• Scholarships and fellowships
• GIS employment opportunities
• Resume posting board for
students and a separate one for
GIS practitioners
Led by a subcommittee of the Education
Committee, this has come to fruition. It
is hereby announced that a new section
of the ILGISA website will be devoted to
internships available across the entire
State of Illinois, available to current
students and a location on the website
whereby GIS organizations may post
their needs for GIS interns. It is
thought that organizations can have a
virtual one-stop internship coordination
office in which to make connections.
The Chair of the Education Committee
will be the point person in assisting to
establish the relationships and can be
contacted at [email protected].
So,
send
those
internship
announcements
and
resumes
to [email protected] and make a
connection!
See screenshot below as an example:
“Internships” to go
here
5
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
Did you notice
all the Volunteer
Students at
the Spring
Conference?
I
LGISA wants to thank the following
students for volunteering at our
Spring Conference:
Zahra Golshani (UIUC), Karishma
Muntashir
(UIUC),
Danielle
Ross, Zach Schmitt (NIU), Jared
Butler (UIUC), Catherine Peters
(Elmhurst), and Yingbo Zhou
(UIUC).
You probably noticed
some of the students manning the
conference registration booth. A
few also volunteered to moderate
some of our presentation sessions!
The Student volunteers were
provided with a FREE conference
registration (excluded meals) in
exchange for their help. What a
deal! Each student signed up early
and received their assignment in
advance of the conference.
There are numerous benefits to
pursuing student volunteers for our
conferences. As GIS professionals
we hope to sustain professional
connections between ourselves as
well as the education community
and those who will one day join
our ranks.
Please encourage
students in the GIS Community to
join our ranks and enjoy numerous
benefits:
• Networking with GIS
Professionals
• Low membership fees ($10/
year)
• Student Awards (Scholarship
opportunity in the near future)
• Employment postings
• GIS Discussion Forums
• Free Conference attendance*
*If you know of a student who would
be interested in helping with the next
conference, please have the student
contact the ILGISA Executive Director,
Tracy Rogers at 815/753-2090 or
[email protected].
6
(Wilcox continued from page 1)
Do you foresee being involved with county or municipal
governments in Illinois regarding GIS issues? – and if yes,
could you briefly tell us how you anticipate working with local
governments?
While my initial emphasis will be towards State agencies, I do anticipate a lot
of collaboration with county and municipal governments. It is widely accepted
that some of the highest quality spatial data (transportation, administrative
units, cadastral) exists at the local jurisdiction. In order for the State of Illinois
to make progress towards a spatial data infrastructure, data sharing across
jurisdictions must be improved and encouraged. A more immediate opportunity
for state and local collaboration exists with the effort to collect 2010 statewide
orthoimagery. I have already begun reaching out to counties seeking their
participation in a 2010 collection.
Do you foresee a time when state wide GIS standards may be
enacted in our state and supported by your office as well as other
state agencies? – and if yes, has work begun toward this goal?
I am a firm believer in standards and my background in information technology
has only reinforced that belief. However I think it is important to make a
distinction between setting standards and conforming to existing standards.
GIS is a data-centric technology and spatial data sharing is one of my high
priorities. Data sharing and collaboration can only be effective within a
framework of standards.
Can you tell us anything about the future of ILGIC?
At this point in time, I do not have any information about the future of ILGIC.
Working groups have been formed, in conjunction with a statewide GIS
strategic planning effort, to study the “governance” of GIS for Illinois. The
GIS Technical Advisory Group mentioned earlier is structured to serve in an
advisory capacity to someone or something at a policy-making or executive
level. Successes in other states and best practices would suggest that a state
GIS coordination council (what ILGIC is intended to be) would be the group for
whom a Technical Advisory Group advises.
Is there anything ILGISA can do to help you fulfill your mission?
ILGISA already does a great job at fostering a climate of communication and
cooperation within Illinois’ GIS community. I hope to leverage the spirit of
cooperation that exists within the ILGISA organization as the State strives
towards enterprise GIS.
Is there anything you would like to tell the ILGISA community?
I know everyone in the ILGISA community has more work and responsibilities
than available time. And I’m sure most are being asked to “do more with
less”. But I truly believe that there are vast opportunities and advantages to
be gained by embracing the enterprise approach to GIS resources, data and
technology. The wealth of knowledge and spatial data that exists in Illinois
has value beyond traditional boundaries. When an opportunity comes along
to share geospatial resources under your control, take into consideration the
Enterprise approach and the contribution you can make.
WWW.ILGISA.ORG
Mission Statement: To promote the
benefits of membership, enhance the
visibility of ILGISA and connect the
GIS communities in Illinois.
Shelley Silch, USGS
M
any of us have entered the GIS profession through other disciplines and
have found ourselves in roles that we may not have anticipated. Perhaps
we were attracted to GIS because it provided a unique way to solve a complex
problem or because the cartographic process flexed our right brain and the
output was satisfying and beautiful. Most of us could probably agree that we
have worked hard to get where we are at and that we are in a unique and
rewarding career. We are professionals, and as professionals we have the
pleasure and responsibility to participate in a dialogue with others to advance
our chosen profession. Becoming a member of ILGISA is a great way to do this.
Some benefits of membership:
•Conferences and Seminars
•ILGISA offers Fall and Spring conferences
•Meet the vendors
•Earn Continuing Education Credits for GISP
•Low membership and conference fees relative to other professions
•Education
•Learn from your peers and stay informed of industry advancements
•Workshop instruction
•Professional development
•Advance your career and contribute to the profession
•Stay informed
•Leadership
•Develop your leadership skills and serve
•Networking opportunities
•Get to know your fellow GIS professionals in the State, regionally, and
locally
•Make valuable professional contacts
•Gain access to a wealth of useful information
•Be part of a community of other professionals
•Mentoring
•Consider helping those new to GIS through professional coaching
•Exclusive online resources
•New ILGISA website
•Forums
•Centralized GIS links and resources in the State
•Job opportunities and resume posting
•Newsletters
•GIS Notes is a newsletter distributed three times per year
•Voting privileges
•As member you are entitled to vote to fill board positions
•Political clout
•ILGISA helps protect your profession by keeping you informed of pending
legislation
•Enhance credibility and foster ethical responsibility among our members
It’s the right thing to do for your profession, yourself and your career!
Proposal for
Publication
of Extended
Abstracts and
PowerPoint
Presentations
Dr. John Kostelnick, Dept. of
Geography and Geology, ISU
T
he ILGISA Education Committee
is proposing new ideas for
the dissemination of presentation
materials as “proceedings” from
ILGISA conferences. In addition
to the short abstract required for
all presentations at the ILGISA
conference, all conference presenters
at future ILGISA conferences will be
encouraged to submit an extended
abstract for publication consideration
in GIS Notes. The extended abstract
(approximately 500-2000 words)
is an opportunity for presenters
to provide additional information
about their projects including
methods, discussions, results, and
conclusions. The inclusion of digital
maps, images, figures, and website
links will be encouraged. Upon
submission, extended abstracts will
be editorially reviewed by the GIS
Notes editor. Extended abstracts
that are accepted will appear in
GIS Notes prior to the ILGISA
conference (if submitted in time) or
subsequent to it being presented at
the conference.
In addition, all presenters at
future ILGISA conferences will
be encouraged to submit their
PowerPoint presentation slides
for posting on the ILGISA website
following the conference. The
goal of both proposals is to further
ILGISA’s role as a center for the
exchange of information, ideas, and
project results by GIS practitioners
and researchers in Illinois and have
a “go-to” central depository by way
of the ILGISA website.
7
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
Details of an NSF Grant Concerning
Geospatial Education
Dr. Mike Rudibaugh, ILGISA Education Committee
Lake Land College, Mattoon, IL
L
ake Land College (Mattoon, IL) is a partner in a $5 million grant to develop
academic and workforce programs for training in geospatial technology. The
college will receive $360,000 over the next four years, as a partner in the National
Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Program. Dr. Mike
Rudibaugh, geography instructor, will lead the project on Lake Land’s campus as
well as serve as a co-principal investigator for the grant. Seven colleges and two
universities nationally will share the funding, which aims to widen and enhance
the pipeline of students, faculty and industries using geospatial technologies.
Learning how to construct, extract, assess, and display digital information from
mapping databases are likely to become standard skills workers will need in future
careers. As a partner in this grant, Lake Land will work with Del Mar College in
Texas and other project partners to establish the GeoTech Center as a means to
increase the number and quality of educated geospatial technicians for rapidly
expanding fields among geospatial technology industries.
The GeoTech Center has five goals:
1) Create a web-based curriculum clearinghouse serving as an educational
resource with data, curriculum, and training supporting geospatial technology
integration into elementary, secondary and community college learning
environments;
2) Promote workforce and economic development opportunities for the region
through internship opportunities for regional employers;
3) Increase the diversity and quality of geospatial technicians through targeting
historically underserved demographic groups, such as women and minorities;
4) Provide a unifying voice for community colleges relative to geospatial technology
with educational organizations and professional societies shaping the growth of
this new occupational sector; and
5) Increase the number of community and technical college geospatial faculty and
secondary school teachers participating in geospatial technology professional
development. The URL for the GeoTech Center website is: http://www.
geotechcenter.org/
The primary goal of this project was to develop a vision and plan for a national
geospatial technology resource center in order to facilitate the development of
curriculum, network technical expertise, and serve as a clearinghouse for products
and services that will meet the needs of students, educators, government,
business, and industry across a wide spectrum of disciplines. This project formed
a steering committee of leaders in geospatial education to research issues critical
to industry and education. These issues included: workforce needs, geospatial
core competencies, certification, curriculum, pedagogy, educational pathways
(including articulation and internships), professional development, communication,
geospatial awareness and diversity, globalization and regionalize, future trends,
and the qualities of a successful ATE Center.
8
Dr. Mike Rudibaugh is a member of
the ILGISA Education Committee
and was a presenter at the ESRI
Educator’s Conference in San Diego
the weekend of July 11. He is a faculty
member instructing Geography and
Geographic Information Systems
courses at Lake Land College (1996
to Present). Currently, he serves as
the Co-PI for the GeoTECH Center
for the National Science Foundation.
He holds B.A. from Eastern Illinois
University and a M.A. and Ph.D.
from Indiana State University in
Economic Geography. His doctoral
research focused on linking how
location (rural vs. urban) impacts
how community colleges impact
regional economic development.
His role with the GeoTech Center
is to support DACUM and Body
of Knowledge alignment and
uses of GIS in community college
administration initiatives.
WWW.ILGISA.ORG
DuPage County, Illinois 2009 NSDI GIS Data and
Standards
Coordination Demonstration Project
William J. Faedtke, GISP
DuPage County Manager of GIS
T
he DuPage County, Illinois GIS
Division has embarked on a one
year project that will prototype a new
system of coordinated data sharing
between local, state, and federal levels
of government. This new system will
also provide an unprecedented level of
access to everyone for specific themes
of the County’s GIS data.
In March of this year, the County
was the recipient of one of the four
nationwide Federal Geographic Data
Committee (FGDC) 2009 Category 7
CAP Grant awards. The purpose of the
Category 7 grants is to partially fund
the development of model systems
that will promote the availability of
common GIS data across all levels of
government. The FGDC is particularly
interested in the development of
systems that will support the concept
of local and state agencies contributing
to the ongoing maintenance of the
National Map and the National Spatial
Data Infrastructure.
For the 2009 Category 7 CAP award,
FGDC required that that grant
recipient provide boundary, structure,
and transportation network GIS data
for inclusion in the National Map that
meets FGDC data standards.
A key component of the County’s
grant proposal is the partnering with
the University of Illinois (U of I) to
utilize the State GIS Clearinghouse to
provide the mechanism for distributing
data between the various levels of
government and to the public. Dr. Don
Luman, Principal Geologist of the U
of I’s Institute for Natural Resource
Sustainability
is
managing
the
University’s portion of the grant work.
While the U of I GIS Clearinghouse
has been serving up data to the GIS
community since 1997, work being
done under this grant will be the first
time that such highly detailed county
level data will be made available
through this system.
The concept of expanding the services
of the Illinois GIS Clearinghouse
has its origins in the consortium of
Northeastern Illinois counties (NEIL)
GIS departments in the Chicago
metropolitan area. During the past
five years, these counties have been
working together to develop common
standards for data sharing and have
been supporting each other during
region wide emergency operations.
While great progress has been made
in the development of standards for
the sharing of address, parcel, and
transportation data between these
counties, until the proposed use of
the Clearinghouse, there has been
no publicly available online system to
access this data. Under our existing
system, each county (and all other
units of government) would still have
to obtain this standardized data from
each separate county, usually through
the use of physical media such as CD’s
and DVD’s.
A couple of years ago, Richard Hilton,
the now retired director of the Lake
County, Illinois GIS Division, proposed
utilizing the Illinois GIS Clearinghouse
to provide widespread access to
detailed local GIS data. Although the
concept proposed by Richard was not
implemented at that time, the idea was
so good that it became the cornerstone
for the DuPage County FGDC 2009
CAP grant proposal.
The County is also working with other
key partners in the development of this
prototype data sharing system. Shelley
Silch, the Illinois liaison of the United
States Geological Survey (USGS) is
providing assistance in the use of the
federal GIS standards including the
implementation of the Geographic
Names Information System (GNIS)
database standards for the structure
data requirement of the grant.
DuPage County has retained the firm
of GIS Solutions, Inc. of Springfield,
Illinois, led by principals Robert
Lindquist and Tim Johnson to work
with Mark Kincaid and the staff of
Illinois Department of Transportation
to determine which categories of GIS
transportation data will be maintained
by each level of government.
One of the most important objectives
of this model program is to dramatically
improve the availability of GIS data
produced by County government.
Typical access today to most local
government GIS data is via readonly viewing on a web map site, or by
purchasing selected portions of the
countywide data. Access to an entire
set of countywide data has usually been
cost prohibitive, limited by complex
licensing agreements, or subject to
long ordering lead times.
When this pilot program is completed
in mid-2010, it is hoped that it will serve
as the model for direct, no cost access
by everyone to the valuable GIS data
maintained by the various levels of
government in Illinois. In light of the
goals of the Obama administration and
the State of Illinois for improved access
to government data, we believe that this
proposed system will provide the best
means to obtain the vast quantities of
essential GIS data.
9
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
The Founding of ILGISA
Richard Hilton, Retired Lake County GIS
Manager and Founding Member of ILGISA
[Reprinted with permission of Richard Hilton,
originally published Summer 2004]
I
LGISA celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this year. The
long-term success of volunteer organizations is by no
means guaranteed – many have come and gone. A number
of things have to be gotten right to survive and flourish.
It’s a measure of the success of ILGISA that we take it for
granted, and that it continues to attract new membership
and volunteer involvement at higher levels over time. All
of this brings great satisfaction to those of us who laid the
foundation more than a decade ago.
ILGISA didn’t just start at an instant in time; it evolved from
an existing tradition. Here are the major factors and events
that contributed to the birth of ILGISA.
The Role of IMAC
The Illinois Mapping Advisory Committee (IMAC) was, and
is, a voluntary group of agencies and individuals interested
in the mapping programs of the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS). IMAC members encouraged the development of
USGS mapping programs in Illinois through joint funding
opportunities and by providing suggested priorities. As an
advisory committee, IMAC has no budget.
IMAC provided the only regular venue for Illinois public sector
mapping professionals to gather, network, and exchange
information. The group was chaired by Dr. Richard Dahlberg,
Professor of Geography at Northern Illinois University (NIU)
and Director of the NIU Laboratory for Cartography and
spatial Analysis. IMAC meetings consisted of program
updates by the USGS liaison to Illinois and presentations
by members and invited guest speakers. They took place
in Springfield and Champaign at government agency offices
or university facilities where the space was free.
As interest in GIS accelerated in the late 1980s, more
GIS-related presentations were given. We put together
several single-topic, full-day IMAC meetings at the Levis
Faculty Center on the campus of the University of Illinois in
Champaign in order to explore these topics in more depth.
A full-day meeting in June 1989 focused on soil mapping
and was the predecessor for a much larger meeting to take
place the next year in DeKalb.
These IMAC GIS-oriented meetings reached their peak with
a two-day event in Champaign in June, 1993, involving more
than 20 speakers, an evening symposium on the National
Spatial Data Infrastructure, and agency tours.
The Role of Illinois GIS and Mapnotes
A publication called Illinois Mapnotes (later renamed Illinois
GIS and Mapnotes), began in June, 1981. It was edited by Dick
Dahlberg and published by the Laboratory for Cartography
and Spatial Analysis at NIU, later with the financial support
of NIU’s Center for Governmental Studies (CGS). Mapnotes
10
and its successors have
been published annually
(sometimes more frequently)
from 1981 to the present. Its
present incarnation is Illinois
GIS Notes, which is published
by ILGISA.
The early issues of Illinois
Mapnotes document the
beginnings of GIS in state
and local government in
Illinois. Mapnotes began as
a 12-page black-and-white
document. The September 1989 issue had a full-color
cover, 20 pages, and a name change. It became Illinois
GIS and Mapnotes – reflecting the emergence of GIS.
Similarly to IMAC, Mapnotes evolved in response to the
level of interest in GIS. What started as a manageable
volunteer project became an expensive and very timeconsuming effort. The publication grew to more than 60
pages and took on a very polished appearance by the mid1990s. Over time, the cost of publication rose substantially,
although Mapnotes was distributed free of charge.
The Transition to ILGISA
The first truly statewide GIS meeting took place in August
1990 in facilities provided by the DeKalb County Farm
Bureau. The same core group of volunteers that grew up with
IMAC put this meeting together. A full day of presentations
on digital soil mapping and tax parcel mapping drew an
audience of 220 from 43 counties. The attendance at this
meeting was further confirmation that interest in GIS was
growing and that there was a need for Illinois GIS users to be
able to meet each other and share experience on a regular
basis. Like IMAC, this meeting took place in free facilities
and lunch was on your own. There was no registration fee.
The Role of the Center for Governmental Studies
Realizing that the scale of these meetings had outgrown
the available free meeting spaces and that there were
growing costs, such as printing and mailing, we approached
the Center for Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois
University for assistance. CGS performs a number of
functions, including public opinion surveys, research, public
policy development, and data and mapping services. They
also serve as the secretariat for a number of professional
groups.
We met with the then-Director of the CGS, Dr. Pete Trott,
a colleague and longtime friend of Dick Dahlberg. He was
willing to work with us, as unstructured as we were. Our
volunteer group had no bank account, no income, and no
organizational structure. We had no way to book hotel
facilities for a conference. Dick and I worked on the programs
with Ruth Anne Tobias acting as conference coordinator on
behalf of CGS. Many volunteers participated to make these
conferences a success.
WWW.ILGISA.ORG
The second statewide conference was held in December
1991. This first “GIS in Illinois” conference was our first
meeting in paid hotel facilities and our first meeting that
charged a registration fee. We continued this annual
conference arrangement for the next two years.
The 1993 conference attracted more than 300 attendees.
While the conference income managed to pay for direct
costs – including meeting space, food, printing and postage
– it didn’t cover the indirect costs incurred by CGS staff, nor
did it resolve the growing financial challenge of publishing
Mapnotes.
Dick and I had a dinner meeting at the 1993 conference to
discuss these issues with Pete Trott and Carol Zar, executive
director for several professional associations at CGs and
later our first Executive Director. We explored for the first
time the possibility of forming a non-profit association. At a
planning meeting later that year the CGS we discussed the
general plan for the 1994 conference and the mechanics for
forming an association. That was the first occasion we used
the term “Illinois GIS Association.”
The Founding of ILGISA in 1994
Throughout the spring of 1994 I worked with Dick to develop
a business plan and an organizational structure for what was
to become ILGISA. Most importantly, we knew we wanted
to create what Sheryl Oliver was later on to describe as “a
safe place”: meaning an organization that had nothing to
sell and no agenda to push, where all would be welcome to
come, meet, and share experiences in the tradition of IMAC.
ILGISA was to be incorporated as a non-profit corporation
under a provision that does not allow it to lobby or be involved
in politics in any way.
We also believed that vendor user groups are best left to
the vendors and that we would discourage conference
presentations or articles for publication that center on the
products or services of any single vendor. Our focus was
meant to be on applications, problem solving, management
issues, and concepts.
Vendors are important to GIS, and have always been
welcome to exhibit or put on pre-conference workshops.
But by separating these activities from the conference
presentations, attendees are able to choose whether they
wish to encounter these vendors or not – they are not a
captive audience.
The operating philosophy and structure were embodied in the
draft bylaws and accompanied by a financial plan. I proposed
to Dick an initial Board that included seven people: Dick
Dahlberg (NIU), Richard Hilton (Lake County), Sheryl Oliver
(IDNR), Don Rich (IDOT), Robert McLeese (USDA), Don
McKay (ISGS) and James Carter (ISU). These individuals
were drawn from federal, state, and local government
and universities – we wanted all those viewpoints to be
represented. We all agreed to participate, and the initial
ILGSA Board was created. We met for the first time as a
founding committee at the Illini Union in Champaign in August,
1994. We reviewed the reasons for establishing ILGISA and
for forming a non-profit corporation. We discussed the kind
of organization we wanted to be, confirming our values and
our style. We recounted the legal steps that were required
to come into existence and when we would make a public
announcement. We discussed how ILGISA would relate to
other organizations, such as IMAC, and the role of vendors.
We reviewed an initial financial plan. The meeting ended
with a strong feeling of enthusiasm and consensus.
A few months later, at the 1994 “GIS in Illinois” conference,
we announced the formation of ILGISA. The Board elected
its initial slate of officers, with Dick Dahlberg as President
and Richard Hilton as Vice President. We concluded our
first contract with the CGS to act as our secretariat.
ILGSA owes much to the Center for Governmental Studies
and to its emeritus Director, Pete Trott, whom we honored a
few years later with an ILGISA special recognition award for
his vital contribution to our founding.
It’s not possible in this brief account to give adequate
recognition to the many additional individuals who contributed
to the early success of ILGISA. A number of them served
on the Board in later years and many continue to be active
participants today, more than fifteen years later. Together
we’ve built an organization that continues a tradition going
back a quarter of a century – a safe place for sharing
experiences and networking.
11
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
Annual Fall Conference of the Illinois Geographic
Information Systems Association
J
oin your colleagues at the Annual Fall Conference of the Illinois Geographic Information Systems Association. This
year we move to a brand new facility, NIU Naperville, located on the Naperville campus of Northern Illinois University.
This facility is entirely wireless, offering new opportunities for attendees, presenters and exhibitors alike in utilizing the
state of the art technology available--all FREE! If you attended the Spring 2009 Conference, you know how wonderful
this new, free access is! Please join us as we move into this new facility and look to expand the educational offerings of
ILGISA. We hope to offer to you quality learning, networking and socializing experience.
Conference Highlights
T
he Illinois Geographic Information Systems Association will be holding its nineteenth annual Fall Conference on
October 5-6, 2009, at the campus of Northern Illinois University (NIU Naperville) in Naperville, Illinois. The era of
innovation and integration has influenced the GIS Community forcing new methodologies, solutions and creativity to keep
up with this constantly demanding world in which we live. Join us as ILGISA moves into the future...New Beginnings for
GIS—throughout the state of Illinois! This event will feature structured workshops, technical sessions, panel discussions,
technology demonstrations, project updates, as well as national and state speakers.
Highlights Include:
• A varied selection of workshop both hands-on and lecture style.
• Over a dozen full tracks of conference sessions covering a wide range of topics, including a track devoted to student
research, GIS Q&A’s and a career panel discussion. Numerous individual presentations to choose from to attend!
• A poster competition among GIS users, both professional and student level.
• A student presentation competition for both undergraduate and graduate student competitors will take place on the
second day of the conference with valuable prizes awards to the outstanding presentation as judged by a panel of
GIS experts.
• An exhibit hall featuring a variety of Exhibitors showcasing their latest GIS related hardware, software, products and
services. Please make sure to spend time with them as they are the leading edge of GIS applications and upcoming
technology.
• Silent Auction benefiting the newly formed ILGISA Endowment Funds.
Who Should Attend?
• Government officials who implement GIS for a variety of applications. Federal, State, County, City and local officials
are all welcome.
• Surveyors, engineers and land management specialists who use GIS technology.
• People want to utilize and/or publish GIS data over the Web.
• Business, real estate, banking and insurance specialists who need to understand and access GIS data.
• Public and private utility representatives who use GIS technology for infrastructure management.
• Consultants who provide GIS services, hardware or software.
• People in precision agriculture, health care and other fields just starting to use GIS.
• University faculty and students interested in new GIS technology and research applications.
• Individuals interested in obtaining GISP certification credits towards their GIS professionalization.
• Individuals or organizations interested or concerned with homeland security or emergency preparedness.
• Managers who supervise GIS technology or staff
• GIS professionals in any discipline.
Come network with your peers and exchange ideas! Sometimes the best ideas begin with a simple conversation or a
single Power Point slide during a presentation. The only thing holding you back is the parameter of your own imagination!
So come join us and explore the endless opportunities. There will be at least twenty exhibitors on display with lots of
goodies! There is plenty of room to visit with each of the exhibitors, along with convenient tables and good food. These
conferences would not be possible without their participation, so please spend time with them to learn about the latest
and greatest in the market today. Poster prizes and announcements will take place within the exhibit hall.
If you have any questions, please give Tracy Rogers a call at 815-753-2090 or send an e-mail to [email protected]. We
are always glad to help, and speaking for the Board of Directors and the Conference Planning Committee, we value your
feedback and input on the planning of these events.
Thank you and hope to see you in October!
12
WWW.ILGISA.ORG
Congratulations to New GISP’s!
Congratulations to the following five individuals who recently completed their requirements for certification as a GISP!
Amy Ahner, Village of Glenview
Michael Schultz, CDM – Camp Dresser & McKeee, Inc.
Edward Amoo, McHenry County
Sheena Beaverson, State of Illinois
Timothy Gansen, City of St. Charles
WELCOME to ILGISA’s New Members!
First Name
Last Name
Title
Company
James
Baker
Survey Manager
Bollinger Lach & Associates
Mark
Belding
Database & System
Administrator
Illinois State Water Survey - University of
Illinois
Susan
Bieszczat
N/A
Dennis
Bowman
Extension Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Tad
Britt
Researcher/ Program
Manager
Compass Systems Inc.
Greta
Buckley
GIS Specialist
Illinois State Water Survey
Larry
Callant
GIS Corrdinator
Ogle County GIS
M.E.
Collins
Milan
Cukvas
Student
College of Elmhurst
Jordan
Decker
GIS Manager
Geosyntec Consultants
Robins
DeShawn
GIS TEchnician
City of Champaign
Jarred
Dexter
Technician
Huff & Huff
William “Max”
Dieber
Co-Director UDVL
College of Urban Planning and Public
Affairs
Charles
Ehlschlaeger
Geographer
Engineering Research Development
Center - Construction Engineering
Research Lab
Pete
Fandel
Crops Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Brooke
Ferguson
GIS Specialist
Lake Land College
Robert
Fitzgerald
Todd
Freer
Charles
Fuller
Lecturer
Triton College
Kris
Gilbert
GIS Specialist
Ogle County
Britt
Gill
Mapping Sales
Representative
Seiler Instrument
David
Gilleland
GIS Planner
Illinois Army National Guard
Renee
Gilleran
Design Sales Executive
Seiler Instsrument
Andrew
Gossrow
Highway Data Manager
IDOT
Philip
Graff
GIS Coordinator
Illinois State Water Survey
Patti
Grove
Abby
Hahne
Graduate Public Service
Intern
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Dan
Harms
Instructor
Jo Daviess Carroll Area Vocational
Center
University of Illinois GSLIS
13
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
14
Randall
Heggen
Technical Services Assistant
City of Rock Island
Jodi
Heitkamp
Cartographer
Northern Illinois University
Cole
Henderson
Sam
Hildebrand
R Timothy
Hopper
Melinda
Ploughman Analytics
GIS Technician
Forest Preserve District of Will County
Hoskin
Technical Services Assistant
City of Rock Island
Dawnell
Hubbert
Cartographer III Supervisor
IDOT
Andrew
Hulin
Geographic Analyst
IDNR
Susan
Hultgren
Sr. GIS Mapping Technician
City of Naperville
Scott
Immel
Land Surveyor
Fehr-Graham & Associates
Monte
Johnson
GIS Administrator
City of Sullivan
Hogenboom
Karen
Asst. Government Info
Librarian
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
Emily
Kelley
Research Assoc. / Atlas of
Historical County Boundaries
Project
Cassidy
Killian
GIS Coordinator
Town of Normal
Gretchen
Knapp
Research Associate
GEOMAP
Joshua
Knight
Joseph
Kopinski
Mapping Technician
Village of Oswego
Dustin
Kosmach
IS Technician
Village of Algonquin
Mike
Koutnik
Account Manager
ESRI
Chad
Krater
GIS Specialist
MGP Inc.
Stephen
Kwiatkowski
GIS Specialist
URS
Ryan
Leonard
Sales Manager
Kara Company Inc.
Yu-Feng
Lin
Coordinator ESRI-GIS
Development Center;
Hydrogeologist Illinois State
Water Survey
University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign
Deette
Lund
GIS Specialist
Illinois State Geological Survey
Catherine
Lutz
GIS/Data Analyst
Northwest Central Dispatch System
Stephanie
Macuga
GIS Analyst
Scott County
Garrett
Malcolm
GIS Analyst
The City of Lake Forest
Janice
Maliska
GIS Processor
DuPage County GIS
Jenny
McBride
Research Assistant/GIS
Specialist
The Morton Arboretum
Brad
McVay
GIS Specialist
Illinois State Water Survey
Dawn
McWha
Senior Enterprise GIS
Consultant
ESRI
Tim
Mescher
GIS Mapping Coordinator
Kane County
Emily
Miller
GIS Analyst
Wills Burke Kelsey Associates
Daniel
Milz
GIS Analyst/Environmental
Specialist
Applied Ecological Services
Jeff
Mitzelfelt
GIS Coordinator - Bureau of
Water
Illinois EPA
WWW.ILGISA.ORG
Susan
Monte
Planner
Champaign County Regional Planning
Commission
Michael
Morris
GIS Technician
Illinois Dept. of Transportation Division of
Traffic Safety
James
Mortland
Visiting Outreach Assistant
University of Illinois Extension
Marc
Nelson
Development Manager
Village of Manhattan
Jonathan
Oelschlager
GIS Analyst
Kendall County Illinois
Norman
Padalino
Police Officer
Chicago Police Department
Kyle
Parker
GIS Specialist
UGL Equis
Anna
Paul
Garrett
Phillips
GIS Intern
US Enviromental Protection Agency
Philip
Pittman
GIS Coordinator
Illinois Department of Public Health
Neal
Pleskunas
GIS Specialist/Planner
Klingner & Associates P.C.
Mike
Pordes
GIS and Enterprise
Management Team Leader
Patrick Engineering Inc.
Robert
Queer III
Geographic Specialist
US Census Bureau
Rafael
Quiroz
Corporate Recruiter
NAVTEQ Inc.
Amrita
Ranjan
GIS Intern
DuPage County GIS Division
Dan
Ridenour
GIS Specialist
Gewalt Hamilton Associates Inc.
Rogers
Ristow Jr.
Hazard Modeler
5th Civil Support Team
Barbara
Roberts
Youth Development Educator
University of Illinois Extension
Andrew
Rooyakkers
GIS Technician
Will County GIS
Mike
Rudibaugh
Faculty
Lake Land College
Marilyn
Ruiz
Director GIS and Spatial
Analysis Lab
Department of Pathobiology University of
Illinois
Danielle
Scarfe
President
SCARFE Consulting LLC
Shelley
Schindler
Research Climatologist
University of Illinois-Illinois State Water
Survey
Marshall
Schrader
Director of Engineering and
Maintenance
The Galesburg Sanitary District
Tim
Schroll
GIS Center
Western Illinois University
Mamie
Scott
GIS Analyst
Cook County Dept. of Technology
Mike
Scott
GIS Analyst
Lake County Division of Transportation
Mark
Shell
Industrial Tech Instructor
Wilmington High School
Paul
Sill
President
Forum Analytics LLC
Lesa
Simon
Research Coordinator
Waubonsee Community College
Hersh
Singh
Research Assistant
Urban Transportation Center
Christopher
Smith
Assistant Professor
Northern Illinois University
Todd
Sobieck
GIS/Crime Analyst
Cook County Sheriff’s Dept.
Kenneth
Soyemi
AMD
IDPH
Bob
Spelich
HEIV
Cook County Highway Dept.
Douglas
Splitt
Engineering Technician
City of Naperville
Dan
Stevenson
GIS Specialist
Illinois State Geological Survey
Scott
Stocking
Project Director
Woolpert
15
ILLINOIS GIS NOTES
Kris
Stout
Manager of Institutional
Research
Waubonsee Community College
Jessica
Stowell
GIS Systmes Analyst
Cook County 911
Eric
Stromberg
Parcel Maintance Manager
Winnebago County
Daniel
Thurston
Geospatial Analysis &
Modeling Section Head
Illinois State Geological Survey
Lisa Rothschild
USDA-FSA Diane
Mason
Contracting Officer
USDA-IL State FSA Office
Tara
Vanduyne
Technology Instructor
Wilmington High School
Howard
Veregin
Amy
Wagner
Assistant City Engineer
City of Lockport
Garret
Wais
GIS Specialist
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Patrick
Walker
Captain/Shift Commander
Greater Round Lake FPD
Michael
Wallace
GIS Specialist
American Surveying & Engineering PC
James
Westervelt
Research Scientist
Army Corps ERDC
Elizabeth
White
Web Specialist
Elmhurst Park District
Daniel
Withers
Cartographic Tech.
USDA-NRCS
Jennifer
Wollenweber
Soil Scientist
DuPage County Stormwater
Management Division
Jennifer
Woodrick
Engineering Assistant
United City of Yorkville
Kristine
Wright
Environmental Scientist
V3 Companies
Song
XU
GIS PC Support Analyst
DuPage County GIS
Emily
Yates
Seed Bank Coordinator
Chicago Botanic Garden
Jon A
Yonamine
Carey
Zinck
Senior GIS Specialist
HDR Engineering
Emily
Zvolanek
Village of Burr Ridge Public Works
Congratulations to our New Student Members!
Kelsey
Caldwell
Student
Mark
Cox
Student
Kevin
Donovan
Student
zahra
Golshani
Student
Heather
Hall
Student
Catherine
Peters
Student
Nathan
Rold
Student
Linas
Saulys
Student
Elmhurst College
George
Stoyanov
Student
Elmhurst College
Jelena
Sudar
Student
Elmhurst College
Jason
Tinkey
Student
Northeastern Illinois University
Luke
VanLandegen
Graduate Student
Northern Illinois University
Cynthia
Vogel
Graduate Student
Yagen
Student
Maggie
16
Northern Michigan University